Dung

Definition

Dung refers to the excrement of animals, especially herbivores; it may also denote animal excrement used as fertilizer. As a verb, it means to apply dung to land as manure. Its plural form as a noun is generally uncountable, but informally dungs or dung heaps may be used.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Verb (transitive)

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA: /dʌŋ/
• Respelling: DUNG

British English

• IPA: /dʌŋ/
• Respelling: DUNG

Etymology

Old English dung “excrement,” from Proto-Germanic *dungaz (cognate with Old Norse dyngja “dung heap”), of unknown ultimate origin.

Derivatives

• dunging (verb gerund)
• dunged (verb past)
• dungheap (compound noun)

Synonyms

• manure
• excrement
• feces
• droppings
• muck

Antonyms

• none

Usage

"The farmer spread fresh dung on the fields to enrich the soil."

"Dung beetles roll balls of dung to feed their larvae."

Related Terms

• Manure: Animal excrement used to fertilize land.
• Compost: Decayed organic material used as soil amendment.
• Fertilizer: Substance that adds nutrients to soil.
• Droppings: Animal excrement, often in small quantities.
• Muck: Wet, sticky soil or organic matter, including dung.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• Animal excrement – the fecal matter produced by animals, especially livestock.
  • Example: "The stall was littered with horse dung."
• Excrement used as fertilizer – animal dung applied to soil to improve fertility.
  • Example: "They spread cow dung across the pasture in spring."
• A heap or pile of excrement – a mound or mass of dung.
  • Example: "Dung beetles were busy around the dung heap."

Verb

• To apply dung to land as manure – to spread animal excrement on fields for fertilization.
  • Example: "They dunged the vegetable beds before planting."